


Once in a Blue Moon

by LilyofAzra



Series: Who are you, Jack Frost? [1]
Category: Guardians of Childhood & Related Fandoms, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 03:04:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4730384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyofAzra/pseuds/LilyofAzra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Jack knows things that he shouldn’t. He says things that make no sense. And once in a blue moon, he glows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jack Be Nimble

Baby Tooth knew. Or she suspected. She had seen after all. The first time, she had nearly dropped the precious tooth she was carrying. A boy all a glow in the moonlight, with a glimmer of a smile and a bell like laugh. 

Before he flickered a snowflake at a child who had snuck out to play in the flurry. The snowflake danced before the kid's eyes, as chubby feet raced after it. A mother watched from the doorstep, wrapped in a thin coat over pajamas, a small grin crept up on her mouth. Before she swooped down and picked her child up.

“Snow.” The mother laughed with the child. “I guess it can happen once in a blue moon.”

* * *  
Sandy was concern as he glanced at Jack sitting next to him. As Sandy spread his dreamsand, Jack's fingers would dance along a wisp of a cloud teasing a glimmer of snow. This was the third one he had enticed as he welcomed the winter's first snow in this region. Watching as white danced with gold, both shimmering under street lamps. 

He had spent the whole night sitting with the Sandman. Not once had he rested, despite being surrounded by the sleepiest sand. 

There was a flicker of movement in the wind, lifting up several snowflakes from the cloud beneath them. They swirled up into the wind around them, chiming with the moonlight. Jack gave a small laugh before diving beneath the cloud; chasing after one flake that had caught his eye. For a moment, he almost seem to shine in moonlight. But as he flew through the clouds, the moment was gone.

Sandy followed, thoughts puzzled. He could sense every dream from any living person. Jack Frost had no dreams. 

Jack Frost never slept.

For a moment, he was reminded of someone else. Maybe that was the way with such boys. They only slept when they were ready to grow.

* * *

“You know North.” Jack drawled with a grin, tracing a frost fern across the window. “I think a space ship would liven this place up.” Not that North’s toy shop wasn’t lively, but it needed something. It was missing something.

“A ship? Bah?” North shook his head, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. There was once a certain tower, but… He shook his head. That was long ago. It was lost in a great battle with Pitch, taking all its passengers with it. “Did you know that Bunny had a egg-shaped train once?”

“Really?” He leaned forward, eyes sparkling. 

“Da. I ever tell you about how I became Guardian?" At Jack's shake, North began in his dramatic tone. "It all started with a moonbeam and a dream…” He made a wide gesture and pulled out a little wooden horse. Jack was completely entranced by the story. 

“…so there I was fighting this great bear-“

“Are you telling that story again?” Bunny interrupted, twirling a chocolate egg between his paws as he leaned against the wall. 

“Was getting to the best part." North huffed. "You in robe!”

“I’ll have you know I was well cultured before I meet these blokes.” He jerked a thumb at North. “Convincing me to socialize and spend five years in Australia.”

“Yeah. I bet you even had a staff with a golden egg on it.” Jack chimed in as he tried to image a stuffy Bunny; it was easier then he thought.

Both of the other Guardians blinked at him. 

“You had one!” Jack pointed before rolling over on his back laughing in mid air. A laugh full of silver bells.

“Sometimes Frost.” North slapped his back. “You remind me of some one. Ah but story for another time. What brings you here Bunny?”

“Got word from Lunar Lamas-“

“Lamas! Man on the Moon has pet messenger Lamas?” It set him off in another fit of giggles. He could almost image the South American mammals on the moon. 

North joined in with a roar of laughter.

Bunny merely groaned. “How is it you’ve been darting around this planet’s coldest places, but didn’t noticed the Lamadary in the Himalayas?”

“Is that the tall tower palace? Em told me to stay away from them. Said they weren’t interested in any fun once so ever.” 

“We will take you to meet them sometime.” Bunny said absentmindedly, before a smile cross his face. “But I have news. They finally manage to finally get word from Tsar Lunar, and he has spotted the Star Dancer.”

“Mother Goose!” A true smile crossed North’s face. “And Ombric. It will be good to see old mentor once more. This is a treat Jack! Mother Goose tells best stories. First story from her will be of us becoming Guardians. And she’ll adore you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when I was first reading RotG fanfics. I thought Lunar Lamas were actual Lamas, having not read the books. I've been amused by it ever since. Can you image those mammals all dress in robes being very serious? So I had to read the entire novelization of Guardians of Childhood, because I had an idea for a fanfic. I now have ten, but this one decided to come out first.


	2. Jack Be Quick

 

There was something about Jack. The thought kept nagging at one E. Aster Bunnymund. It was a persistent little thought, not giving up after a few months.

It was important.

But not dire and perfect for pondering as he painted his eggs. 

He perhaps had gotten a little too upset with Jack when they had first met, but who doesn't like eggs? Taking a breath, he calmed himself. He could pass it off now as just hurtful comments from a lonely boy. One who must secretly like eggs, no matter how he hid it. But that wasn't the nagging thought.

No, it was something else. 

He replayed the recent battle in his head, going over every instant of Jack fighting. There it was. How had he missed that? He really should have paid better attention to the boy. 

Because there was light mixed with his snowballs. And it wasn’t just fun, but the ability to brighten hearts, to lift them up. Most of all there were blots of light mixed with ice when they went up against the Nightmares.

Could it be? 

He looked down at the egg he had been absently painting. The image was of a boy who had just entered adulthood, Nightlight as he last seen him. 

Besides him, Bunny began to paint Jack. Maybe if the two were side by side... 

* * *

Tooth was making one of her new rounds, where she went out and collected the teeth herself. She saw Sandy's golden sand flowing into each child’s home, ensuring they were asleep for her arrival.

She hadn't expected to see Jack sitting on the roof with Jamie and Sofie, the little girl that had snuck into the Warren. He was singing a lullaby as some of the sand stream headed their direction. Tooth could barely catch the words:

_-light, Bright light,_

_Sweet dreams-_

But Jack made a face and resorted to humming like he had forgotten the words. Sofie made a sleepy noise before she fell asleep curling with her brother. Jack grinned when he caught sight of Tooth. Together they put the children back to bed.

Later that night a half-remembered lullaby echoed in her head and she couldn't help but think it was important.  

* * *

It was at the next meeting that they really started to put together the pieces. Jack had flown off moments ago when the meeting was officially concluded, laughing about giving the kids a snow day. The others had lingered.

"We are missing something about Jack." Tooth was the one who spoke first.

"He's Nightlight." Bunny cut in, handing the egg he had painted the other day to her. 

Sandy blinked. Then paused to think on it. There was something he long suspected. The way Jack had glowed for a moment...

"He went with Katherine." North shook his head. There was no way he would have missed noticing someone who was dear to his little family, so dear to Katherine, who was like a younger sister.

"None of us really know for sure-"

"Nightlight went with Katherine." He crossed his arms, and his expression was firm. 

"We don't know that North." Tooth put a hand against his arm. "That battle landed such a blow against him." He had dimmed so much; she feared he would never light the night again. Then Pitch had struck, and the battle became a blur. She never knew what happened but held out with North's hope. That Nightlight had found his way back and followed Katherine on their journey. 

"It's a miracle that we were even able to get Katherine back and if he didn't know-"

"No." He shook off her arm, stubborn. "He is not Nightlight. I would have known." But a shiver of doubt crept into his mind. They were all so much changed since then, that battle that had occurred over 300 years ago. He paused and thought about it. The similarities were striking between the two. 

Sandy grabbed his attention, quietly mulling over a thought. It was possible that Jack was Nightlight, but North had a frequency for being right… An image of a goose and books floated over his head. 

"Katherine will know.” North grinned at Sandy. “They will arrive in few months. We wait. Be quite surprise for her either way." 

"We've all change since we have become myths. Since we discovered the power of belief and tricked Pitch." Tooth agreed, a small bittersweet smile.

"So much lost in that battle." Bunny still missed his staff. He never felt the same since. Lost what was entrusted to him, had been safe in his care for millennia. Lost the Light.

"There is time for such thoughts later." North placed a kind hand on his shoulder. "Today we plan for festivities and celebrations. Old friends are returning. And despite who Jack might be, we know who he is now." 

* * *

Jack had a secret. One that existed merely from the lack of telling. He tried to share once, but ended up forming a blizzard out of frustration instead. It wasn’t his best moment, and may have been a bit of a temper tantrum.

He ran his hand along the length of his staff, tracing a faint carving that was at the center the crook formed. A secret compartment in the staff. He had made it, and it had hurt. But he must hide the item. The knowledge was there; that it was something that must be hidden. He couldn’t remember why. It was something he always had, since he woke up. But not before? 

Jack was starting to remember something now. Tooth had been trying to help through teaching him meditation and belief. Because he very dearly wanted to remember if he had a family or someone like it, that he belonged somewhere. There was the barest tease of a memory, a soothing voice telling a story. And the memory of cozy warmth.

It was important. 

He could almost see a face to go with it. Dropping his staff, he let frost ferns sprout up along his feet. They caught moonlight and glimmered. 

"Who is she?" Jack eyes search the moon, not really expecting an answer. But the light was comforting and reassuring.

He would know soon. 

* * *

Jack was balancing on a metal rail. It really was a meshwork of designs that look to almost be telling a story. Sometimes he thought he would see figures on the floor or along the railings. But when he blinked it would disappear, remaining on intricate swirling design. Above him was the dome ceiling that had been parted for the expecting ship that was still in the distant.

Maybe this was a bad idea. 

He could wait; come back after all the excitement of reunions had passed. However North had told him just enough for him to know absolutely nothing about the stranger, but become insanely curious at the same time. There were mutters of some debate if another person would be among them or not, but he hadn’t been listening at that point. There was an expectant thrill racing through him.

North had a hand clapped on his shoulder, but the man was almost jumping with glee. His other hand was waving rapidly at the descending ship. Small figures, almost the size of ants, waved back. 

And what a ship it was, like a galleon but glittering with flecks of gold and shimmering sails. It was almost half clockwork and there was a running theme of eggs. Jack figured that Bunny must have helped.

"Remarkable, yes?" North grinned down at him. "Of course, I helped build it. Master piece." 

Jack stared in a little awe, but there was a minor worry that would flutter in his thoughts. The other guardians were returning, would that mean they wouldn't want him around. Was he only a replacement? He didn't want to go back to being alone. Not when he was just starting to like being around others and adjust to their affection. Not when they were starting to be friends. 

"Cheer up Snowflake." Bunny ruffled his hair, brushing off some of the snowflakes that always lingered there. "You’re our new member. The others will adore you." 

In a blur of excitement, the ship descended through the roof of North’s shop before docking, lining perfectly with them that spiraled down to the floor near the globe. He quickly scanned the crowd. There was an old man, who looked a great deal how he thought Merlin would, a clockwork robot. And…

"Do I know-" Jack was barely able to recognize an almost familiar face, but found himself flying back with a person on top of him. 

“See I was right!” North bragged with smug joy as he nudged Bunny.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whistles quietly. 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments!


End file.
